This invention relates to the harvesting of earthworms, and more specifically to a hand-held device used in the harvesting of earthworms from the ground surface.
Earthworms have a number of beneficial uses. The most recognizable is the use of earthworms as bait for the sport fisherman. The fisherman gathers earthworms prior to setting out on the fishing expedition or purchases earthworms from a commercial vendor. In either case, the person who harvests the earthworms is faced with problems inherent in the harvesting process.
One problem in harvesting earthworms is finding earthworms that are on the ground surface and not entirely buried in the soil. This problem is solved in a number of ways, including the manual overturning of the soil in which the earthworms reside using a shovel or spade. In addition, a number of patents have issued that teach means for driving the earthworms to the surface, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,331 to Podsiadly et al., which teaches the utilization of electric pulses to drive earthworms to the surface for easier harvesting.
Although there are numerous references in the art which teach the use of electric current to drive earthworms to the surface, until now there remained the problem of actually physically picking up the earthworm from the ground surface. The texture, flexibility, and mobility of the earthworm makes it difficult to pick up the earthworm. The earthworm is often times able to allude the harvester by rapid movements and/or by slipping through the grip of the harvester before the harvester can apply grip pressure sufficient to immobilize the earthworm while not killing the earthworm through the use of too much pressure. It is important in the various methods of utilization of the earthworm that the earthworm remain alive until and during use, including sport fishing where a live worm presents the most desirable bait.